SodaStream - Water Wars

The brief:Our mission was to re-launch SodaStream in Sweden. The product was associated with soda and the 80s, and we needed to change that. The argument to avoid having to carry home bottled water, used in the first re-launch, did not work. This despite the fact that it was the main product benefit and consumer need according to the consumers themselves. Why didn’t the main product benefit sell any products?

The Key Emotional Driver:Even if the consumer need simply will be satisfied by purchasing the product, it’s not linked to our human motivational drivers. Therefore, consumers won’t buy the products. It just won’t be worth it, even if they need, want and can afford it.

The target audience has an innate urge to relate to their environment by comparing themselves in relation to others. Within social groups, they have a need for affirmation, prestige, and power. In short, they want to feel like better persons than their friends who they’ve just invited over for dinner.

By giving consumers the chance to make a statement and an alibi that they can be proud of in front of others, the social acceptance of homemade sparkling water will increase.

The consumer insight:“I would feel ashamed if I served homemade sparkling water when I have guests over. I’m worried that they will perceive me as lazy, ungenerous or poor. I rather carry home bottled water, than take the risk of being seen that way”.

The solution: With the increasing environmental consciousness – the bottle water drinker is the new smoker. SodaStream takes a stand for the environment and starts a war against the bottled water industry. With the best weapons there are: relevant fact-based arguments.

The result: The campaign got a huge impact in media. The bottled water industry tried to fight back – which gave SodaStream even more positive publicity.

SodaStream was transferred from a remnant from the 80’s to a modern statement for the environment.

From near zero (initial public offering) to over 750,000 sold units the first six months, SodaStream got the position of the category leader in the exploding marker for homemade sparkling water and assigned Christmas Gift of the Year.